As an associate trainer at URI, Michelle Barber's work goes beyond the practice field

SOUTH KINGSTOWN — Granted, members of the University of Rhode Island’s men’s and women’s basketball teams and the football team receive the lion’s share of publicity. And rightfully so.

But lost in the shuffle is the work done by Woonsocket native Michelle Barber, who’s the associate athletic trainer.

An associate trainer, under the direction of the head trainer, oversees the physical evaluation and treatment of student-athletes in order for them to maintain maximum physical fitness and participation in athletic competition. In addition, they provide support to student-athletes who engage in high-impact and high-intensity sports.

Besides the work she does for the Rams, what she’s done outside of the trainer’s room is arguably even more important.

A 2003 graduate of the University of Connecticut, Barber earned her bachelor of science degree in sports medicine and a master’s degree in kinesiology at URI.

Among other things, she’s been active in researching athletes who have been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (i.e., this is a term used to describe disorders that involve chronic inflammation of the digestive tract such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease).

“That was what my master’s thesis was about,” Barber said. “One of my exercise science classes involved some research and I found out there was a large amount of research in the population who’ve been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease.”

Barber’s research helped to confirm that various forms of treatment involve the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics and even a diet that is rich in nutrients.

Barber also has conducted research into the hydration status in adolescents that has been published in the Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise Journal.

“That was with youth study camps,” Barber said. “We went to the camp and got parents’ permission, collected urine samples and asked what their thirst levels were compared to what their urine samples were telling us.

“In layman’s terms, we found adolescents’ thirst levels weren’t an accurate indication of their hydration status.”

Change of heart

Because of her affinity for athletics, Barber changed majors after enrolling at Connecticut.

“I honestly started off with an undergraduate degree in physical therapy,” Barber said. “Honestly, my older sister [Christine Levereault] is an athletic trainer. She was in school at the same time I was.

“Our family would go to games where she was at. She would come home and practice her taping skills. That’s when I decided [being an athletic trainer] would be a more desirable profession for me.”

Before she was hired by URI, Barber volunteered with the fall sports teams at Manchester High School in Connecticut and with the Hartford Family Clinic. Upon graduation, she was honored with the Doug Casa Award for ongoing research. (Casa is a professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Connecticut).

“That research was for the hydration work I did with him,” Barber said. “What I did at Manchester and the Hartford Clinic was part of the athletic training curriculum.”

In 2005, Barber was recognized for “Outstanding Graduate Studies Research” based on her work from her thesis and research. She also has assisted in conducting research sponsored by Gatorade, the National Safe Kids Campaign and UConn.

“That was from more of my work with UConn,” Barber said. “In grad school, my grad advisor, Doug Casa, asked me to come back and do some research with him for two summers. We traveled to youth summer camps and looked at their hydration status.

“Doug Casa is the head of the Korey Stringer Institute at UConn. To get that award was amazing.”

Stringer was an offensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings who died from complications brought on by heat stroke during training camp in 2001.

Initially, Barber was a graduate assistant trainer at UConn. She credits her sister Christine for inspiring her.

“She was the No. 1 influence in my switching from physical therapy to athletic training.”

Eventually, Barber became a certified strength and conditioning specialist.

“I took a semester-long course at UConn and took that exam in 2005,” she said. “That involves submitting extra education units in order to maintain certification.”

The 'fun aunt'

At both Connecticut and Rhode Island, Barber has worked with a variety of teams, including football, men’s and women’s soccer and basketball, women’s hockey, softball, and men’s track and field teams.

“I don’t think I treat them any differently,” she said. “I think later in my career, now that I’m a mother, I feel like the male athlete views me as a motherly, comfortable figure.

“I like to refer to myself as the ‘fun aunt.’ ”

Underscoring her proficiency in her field, Barber has received the Rhode Island Trainers Association of the Year Award.

The criteria for this award include being a highly qualified, multiskilled, health care professional who renders service or treatment under the direction of or in collaboration with a physician in accordance with their education and training and the state’s statutes, rules and regulations. Services provided by athletic trainers include primary-care injury and illness prevention, wellness promotion, education in emergency care examination, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions.

To say Barber was humble when she received this award would be a major understatement. “I think that was just a way to show their appreciation for everything I’ve done for the association,” she said.

Beyond the practice fields

Barber has held the position of secretary/treasurer and secretary of the Rhode Island Athletic Trainers Association since 2006 and also has served on the Rhode Island Department of Health Board of Licensure for Athletic Trainers.

In this role, she helps ensure that applicants have proof of graduation from an accredited college or university and have met minimum athletic-training curriculum requirements established by the board by completing specific course requirements, including human anatomy, human physiology, first aid and CPR, nutrition, personal health and techniques of athletic training, etc.

Barber is in the midst of her 19th season at URI and, understandably, has derived much satisfaction from her work.

“First, in the eight years I was raising my son [Jaxon], it was in the college athletics environment,” she said. “My staff is super supportive to work with as a working mother. When I bring my son to work, the coaches and athletes love to share their sport with him. For me, it’s amazing to see.

“But most of all, to see an injury from start to finish and see the athlete return to the sport that he or she loves is so rewarding.”

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Woonsocket 's Michelle Barber works behind the scenes for URI athletes